On October 21, Brussels-based Office of Communication of Azerbaijan (OCAZ) organized a constitutive meeting of a newly-established friendship group with Azerbaijan as part of the plenary session of the European Parliament.
Following the meeting, a reception was hosted for group members and other guests on the occasion of the 23rd anniversary of the independence of Azerbaijan Republic.
Along with former members, some newly-elected MEPs also joined the friendship group after the recent elections in the European Parliament. The constitutive meeting was attended by Azerbaijani Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg, Head of the Permanent Representation of Azerbaijan to the European Union Fuad Isgandarov, as well as 30 MEPs from Romania, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, Germany, Bulgaria, including Vice-Chair of European Conservatives and Reformists Group Notis
Marias and Deputy President of the EuroNest Parliamentary Assembly Richard Charnetsky.
Notis Marias told APA that he welcome the newly-established friendship group with Azerbaijan.
“Azerbaijan is a very beautiful and developing country. Today, MEPs from eight countries have joined this group at my request. Other MEPs also expressed their intentions to join the group. The main purpose of our group is to contribute to the strengthening of EP-Azerbaijan relations and accelerate Azerbaijan’s integration into European institutions. We believe that Azerbaijan plays an important role in Europe’s energy security. Moreover, we want the relations of the countries and people we represent here to be developed with the Azerbaijan and its people,” he said.
The new group members were presented at the meeting. They also made speeches, expressing their interests in Azerbaijan.